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- drag, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19It's a combination of command line applications and programming libraries. There are no screenshots, unless you like looking at pictures of bash prompts.
The idea is that you can have a higher level of integration between Linux desktops and toolkits and such. It's tied into Freedesktop.org specifications such as the .desktop files. Portland is a more formal thing.
So for instance if you in KDE and you choose 'Konqueror' to be your defualt browser then when you launch a browser from your Gnome application it won't open up Epiphany, it'll open up konqueror.
Stuff like that. Currently to do that you have to go into KDE and configure it to use Konqueror for everything then you have to go into Gnome configuration stuff and choose konqueror in there to. Then in addition any non-gnome and non-kde application will probably choose to default to 'mozilla' which would be wrong 95% of the time. Portland is designed to solve problems like that in a simple and effective manner.
So the big deal is if your making a third party program then you can do the equivelent of saying 'open browser' then it will open the correct browser irregardless what the user happenned to select for a default.
All in all it's pretty simple, pretty small stuff currently. As it matures it will gain more and more functionality and solve most of the problems associated with some people wanting KDE, some people wanting Gnome, and some people wanting their own custom setup, and trying to get applications to integrate well into your environment. Make things as seemless as they are in OS X.
It won't make KDE look like Gnome or something like that. Nothing high level like Redhat tried to do with BlueCurve. Both still will retain their unique 'look and feel', but they will be able to integrate better with the other. Think about Portland project as a bridge that now is able to link previously isolated islands of functionality together.
It's all a part of a larger movement for desktop improvements in Linux. The Freedesktop.org stuff, OpenICC, the menu stuff, the .desktop file stuff, dbus, hal, compiz, aiglx, etc etc. - kooft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@goldenratio
Did you check the link you provided? Fifth result down is a link to 'irregardless' at Merriam-Webster Online (whom I believe to be a reputable source on all things English language). I've included the text of the link below, since you're loathe to do that much research. Please pay close attention to the part that says:
"The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose."
M-W states:
irregardless
One entry found for irregardless.
Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
nonstandard : REGARDLESS
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.
If you're going to be a language nazi, at least do your homework. - thesimplefix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@vondur
I guess you're amongst the many @ digg that never read the articles:
"...These first common interfaces are a set of command line tools, xdg-utils. These first command line tools can be used by ISVs (independent software vendors) to help install software and provide access to the system while the application is running...." - MonkeyFit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3sweet
- ShadowH8ing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@drag
i must congratulate you in your perfect analogy of portland and bridges as it is actually quite fitting. As Portland, Oregon as a city is also known as bridge city.
Kudos!!! - akinder, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Because it's presenting reality to the Linux geeks. Linux on the desktop sucks, point blank.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1 I'm hoping for a universal installer as well.
Linspire will be open sourcing their Click N Run, so perhaps that, or something similar can become the default.
Of course,Linux making it into the big league will bother some folks, but I'm all for it!
- subgeniusd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why would anyone Diggdown his comment???
The lack of a common installer is always included in any list of "Why the Linux desktop is not ready for primetime" sort of opinion piece. - thesimplefix, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Let's hope a common installer comes from all of this.... If I recall correctly, a lack of common elements amongst Linux Distro's was what was holding Dell back from pre-loading Linux on Desktops.... Too many distro's to support -- not enough common elements...... Portland should address at least some of their issues.-- Good first steps. Hopefully, more comes from it.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@ akinder
"Linux on the desktop sucks, point blank."
Well, I think it depends, if you expect Linux to basically be Windows without any faults, you're gonna be disappointed. If you expect Linux to be like a software nirvana, you're also gonna be disappointed. However, if you expect Linux to be an alternative and you sit down for maybe 1 hour and look around, and learn how to use a package manager, the programs Linux offers, such as OpenOffice.org, then you may very well be impressed at what Linux can offer you.
From my point of view, Linux on the desktop may "suck" from some people's point of view (The misinformed?), but Windows on the desktop "sucks" universally.
Linux users are not the ones having to deal with the thousands of viruses out there, the millions of types of spyware, long exposures to security vulnerabilities because Microsoft is slow at releasing patches, plus we're having to deal with anything even remotely similar to Windows Genuine Advantage, because the licenses free software and open source uses are licenses that respect our fair use rights as end users, and don't force us into being dominated by some company.
Is Linux without any problems? Absolutely not, not all hardware is supported, it's hard for some people to switch because they're already used to, or locked into, tools that are only available on one platform, whether that'd be Windows or Mac OS X. If you're a PC gamer, Linux is probably not the best solution for ALL your computing needs as most games are, sadly, not available for Linux. Now for console gamers, like myself, it's a whole different story. - daboochmeister, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1@goldenratio -- and yet people continue to use it, irregardless ...
- goldenratio, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2@drag
an informative comment, however, "irregardless" is not a word.
http://www.google.com/search?q=irregardless
irrespective == word
regardless == word
"irregardless" != word - vondur, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2Screenshots?
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